Royal Ascot Tips and Preview - Race-by-race selections for Day 5 of the Royal Meeting at Ascot

Race-by-race selections and best bets for the final day of the top-class Royal Ascot festival.

Saturday sees the fifth and final day of the 2017 Royal Ascot Festival, and the conclusion of another top-class week of horse racing action ends with another six-race card which takes in the Group One Diamond Jubilee Stakes as well as the ultra-competitive Wokingham Stakes.

2:30 Chesham Stakes (Listed Race) Cl1 (2yo) 7f

It was hard not to have been impressed by the manner of SEPTEMBER’s debut success at Leopardstown two weeks ago, where Aidan O’Brien’s charge became the yard’s first juvenile debutante winner of the season when readily routing a field which included Hummah and Easter Lily to score a near-six lengths victory.

The well-bred Deep Impact filly looked a potentially top-drawer performer on that early evidence, and as one of just four fillies in the race she gets a handy 5lbs weight allowance; the yard won this twelve months ago with Churchill, and open to significant improvement she can follow up.

3:05 Wolferton Handicap (Listed Race) Cl1 (4yo+ 0-110) 1m1f212y

Khairaat is clearly a progressive sort, but this will be a harder task facing the Shamardal colt upped in class with a 13lbs rise in the weights to overcome; it could be worth chancing then that KIDMENEVER can build on the progress he has shown in his two starts in Dubai for this yard over the winter.

The Baltic King gelding was a fair sort in France previously, winning at Marseille last March prior to contesting in Group and Listed company, which include a runner-up finish behind Doha Dream at Vichy.

Most recently runner-up behind Viren’s Army at Meydan, the Godolphin runner will need to improve again on that run; but he remains mostly unexposed and has the potential for better.

Representing top connections who have enjoyed plenty of success throughout the week, he has to be respected in an open renewal of this contest, and he could prove the answer here.

3:40 Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2) Cl1 (4yo+) 1m3f211y

IDAHO progressed well last term, finishing third in the Epsom Derby behind Harzand prior to finding the same rival too strong again in the Irish Derby later in the same month.

Aidan O’Brien’s charge resumed winning ways – he was a debut winner – to score at York in the Great Voltigeur, beating Housesofparliament.

Still travelling well when unseating his rider behind Harbour Law in the St Leger at Doncaster, the Galileo colt disappointed on his final start at Woodbine in October when finishing fifth behind Erupt; and he looked in need of the run behind Highland Reel in the Coronation Cup on his return at Epsom earlier in the month.

Entitled to strip fitter, this represents a strong renewal of this race; but if he can build on that Epsom run and avoid the boil-over he endured prior to that race, he can improve for the run to go close in this contest.

A return to form by LIMATO, who goes well fresh, would make Henry Candy’s charge hard to beat; while The Tin Man developed into a top-class sprinter last term, and he possibly needed his first run back last time.

However, the Tagula gelding gets a narrow vote to resume winning ways having had excuses for a poor run at Meydan last time where the ground went against him, and Henry Candy’s charge suffered a minor injury where he pulled muscles.

Last season was something of a success for Henry Candy’s charge, where he stepped back from seven furlongs to win the July Cup at Newmarket, and the Prix de la Foret at Chantilly; as well as losing nothing in defeat behind Mecca’s Angel in the Nunthorpe where the trip was too sharp.

He probably failed to stay the mile at Santa Anita in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, and his Meydan run can be discounted. He has gone well fresh in the past, and given time to recover from his Dubai setback he can set the record straight here.

5:00 Wokingham Stakes (Heritage Handicap) Cl2 (3yo+ 0-110) 6f

A hugely competitive big-field sprint contest, and EASTERN IMPACT is only a tentative selection to land the spoils and hand Richard Fahey a second winner of the week.

The Bahamian Bounty gelding was a Group Three winner over course and distance back in 2015 when winning the Bengough Stakes; that was his last win, but he ran well in Group and Listed company last term, including when runner-up to Toscanini in the Phoenix Sprint Stakes.

Although he didn’t show his best in a trio of runs at Meydan over the winter, the Fahey runner wasn’t beaten far behind Go Far at Wolverhampton in March; and he stepped up on that run to chase home stablemate Mr Lupton at Newmarket last month, beaten just over one length.

Raised just 2lbs, he is well-weighted on his best form having won the Bengough Stakes from 10lbs higher; and likely to relish the quick underfoot conditions, he looks sure to give a good account of himself in a cracking renewal of this contest.

5:35 Queen Alexandra Stakes (Conditions Race) Cl2 (4yo+) 2m5f143y

The longest race of the week at the top-class festival draws another fantastic Royal Ascot to a close, and Thomas Hobson could attempt to supplement his impressive Ascot Stakes win just four days ago; however, despite the manner of that win there is a possibility that this might come too soon and ORIENTAL FOX is taken to win back the crown he landed in 2015.

Mark Johnston’s Lomitas gelding stormed clear to beat Taws when winning this race, and although he has won just once since he has largely contested over shorter trips and may bounce back over this much longer distance.

The tough-as-teak Johnston runner was beaten only five lengths at Goodwood last time over 1m 6f, but he turns out here 3lbs lower than when landing the race two years ago and with ground no issue he could be the one to keep onside in another competitive renewal.